Solidarity, Community & Volunteering Award: The 2025 nominees

When Elliot Addison moved from New Zealand to Australia, he quickly realised how overwhelming it could be to start fresh in a new country. Wanting to make the journey easier for others, he began with a simple WhatsApp group for French and immigrants. Thanks to an amazing team of volunteers — Elodie, Ghislain, Guillaume, Benjamin, Félicie, and Erwan — who all give their time outside of their jobs, that group soon became CocoricOz, a thriving support network helping French newcomers with housing, jobs, admin, transport, and the everyday challenges of settling in. The community responds within minutes to calls for help, and through a partnership with French Assist, CocoricOz can also support members facing urgent difficulties. Beyond digital help, the volunteer team organises regular gatherings in Brisbane, creating space for newcomers to connect, share experiences, and feel at home. What began as a small chat group is now a growing community — built on the belief that no one should have to start over alone.

Aymeric Cabuil is a key organiser of the Sydney French Open, a charity tennis tournament that supports children from New Caledonia who are undergoing cancer treatment in Australia. He co-leads the event alongside Olivier Marie, working under the Redkite charity to provide vital emotional, logistical, and financial support to affected families. The Sydney French Open is open to players of all levels—men, women, juniors and doubles—and includes matches across multiple draws. Aymeric helps coordinate each tournament’s structure, sponsorship, community outreach, and fundraising, ensuring that the event not only raises money, but also brings awareness and support to families required to relocate for long-term treatment at Westmead Children’s Hospital. Through his leadership, the event has seen increasing participation and support from the Francophone and broader Sydney community. In past editions, the tournament has raised over AU\$10,000 in a single weekend, through player registrations, silent auctions, and donations. Although based in Australia, Aymeric’s roots and commitment to the French overseas community shine through in his work. By combining French cultural identity with local action, he helps build bridges between New Caledonia, France, and Australia. His efforts show what compassionate leadership can achieve when aligned with community values.

Catherine Cardinet works in Melbourne and is a long-standing committee member for the Bastille Day French Festival. She is active in multiple Francophone and cultural associations, and over the years she has become a beloved figure in Melbourne’s French community. Originally arriving in Australia in the early 1980s, Catherine fell in love with the warmth of the people, the culture, and the landscapes. Her involvement in community life spans many years: she supports cultural events, museums, concerts—especially baroque music—and helps ensure French culture is visible and celebrated in Melbourne. In her role with the Bastille Day French Festival, Catherine helps organise what has become one of Melbourne’s key Franco-Australian cultural events. The festival celebrates France’s National Day through food, music, art, wine, and family-friendly activities, inviting the broader community to experience French language and heritage. Her presence—steady, generous, and deeply rooted—serves as a bridge between her French origins and her Australian home. Through commitment to community, culture, and connection, Catherine Cardinet embodies Franco-Australian friendship in tangible, everyday ways.

Cécile Janet (NSW) is a dedicated volunteer in Fundraising and Administration for Women & Children First, a Northern Sydney non-profit supporting women and children escaping domestic violence, abuse, and homelessness. Her work with the organisation began in March 2025. In her volunteer role, Cécile manages parts of the CRM data system to help streamline the organisation’s operations. She also plays a key part in special events, such as gathering prizes for the Mother’s Day Lunch, which raises vital funds to provide women and children in crisis with emergency support and comprehensive services. Women & Children First delivers holistic, integrated programs including crisis accommodation, case management, trauma-informed counselling, parenting support, group work, and early intervention services. Their vision is to ensure that women, children, and families are safe, secure, connected, and have the opportunity to thrive. ([Women and Children First][1]) Through her contributions to data accuracy and event fundraising, Cécile helps ensure that the charity’s resources are used effectively and that community initiatives continue to provide critical support. Her efforts reflect the core mission of Women & Children First: to walk alongside vulnerable families, providing immediate safety, ongoing support, and hope for a future beyond trauma.

Mona la Cour (NSW) is the lucky President of the association Little Caledonian Heroes.They provide emotional and practical support to families and children who are medically evacuated from New Caledonia to Westmead Children's Hospital. They visit every ward and the oncology ward 2 times a week. More than a hundred children a year are rushed to Australia from New Caledonia, for urgent medical assistance. A serious burn, a newborn with malformation, cancer, heart conditions, infections, or even a shark bite. They welcome the families in distress— help them to settle in, to find their bearings through a guide to the hospital's services and immediate environment, bringing them necessities, or warm clothes - as well as connecting them to fellow Caledonians in other wards. Above all, they speak to families in French, and create a friendly connection that is not part of the medical story or team.Their weekly "Cafe des Caledoniens" allows new families to connect with other families, so they have a support network from home as quick as possible.The team is composed of 6 volunteers - just mums and dads. Doing what any parent would do in the same situation: extend their hands and hearts.

Laura will participate in three major events this year in October and next year in April as an Expert Panellist & stakeholder for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). She will attend two roundtable discussions on human trafficking and refugee smuggling in October, followed by the 15th United Nations Crime Congress in Abu Dhabi in April 2026. During these engagements, Laura will address the interconnected issues of international family violence, human trafficking, and refugee smuggling, offering collaborative strategies to safeguard vulnerable populations and uphold global justice.

Jean-Marc Lequevre has dedicated over 40 years to serving his fellow citizens, making the well-being of the French community in Australia his lifelong priority.

As Vice President of the French Veterans Association and an active member of French Assist Melbourne, Jean-Marc has tirelessly supported French citizens in times of need. From assisting with pension applications and navigating Centrelink procedures, to providing guidance and solidarity during difficult circumstances, he has always been ready to lend a helping hand.

His commitment extends beyond immediate support: Jean-Marc has worked to ensure the smooth integration of French citizens into Australian society, fostering belonging and community spirit in what he warmly calls “this great country of Oz.”

Deeply conscious of the shared history between France and Australia, he never misses an opportunity to remind others of the sacrifices made at Fromelles and Villers-Bretonneux, where Australian soldiers gave their lives for France. For Jean-Marc, remembering this history is inseparable from building strong ties between the two nations today.

 

Through his service, compassion, and enduring dedication, Jean-Marc Lequevre embodies the values of solidarity, remembrance, and community that lie at the heart of the French-Australian relationship.

Maisa Lopes Gomes is a Brazilian-Australian leader in digital fundraising and social innovation, based in Sydney since 2003. As Head of Digital Fundraising at Cerebral Palsy Alliance (CPA), she has contributed to efforts that have raised over A$440 million for research, services, advocacy, and inclusive technologies that transform lives. Her work is grounded in the belief that technology, community, and compassion can coexist to drive systemic impact. Through her contributions, initiatives like Steptember have grown into fundraising movements: reaching tens of thousands and raising millions to support people with cerebral palsy and related conditions. Outside of work, Maisa has volunteered at her daughter’s local school, including support for the French-Australian program (FANS). Her multicultural ethos, shaped by being Brazilian, Australian citizenship, and deep appreciation for French and global cultures, reflects a lifelong passion for linguistic and cultural diversity. She believes that language carries not only words but worldviews, and that multiculturalism enriches society by cultivating empathy, cognitive agility, and connection. Her lived experience affirms that diverse voices build stronger, wiser, and more imaginative communities. Maisa is a Fellow of the prestigious Fundraising Institute of Australia (FIA), an international speaker who will co facilitating a masterclass on AI for Nonprofits (sold out!) at the globally renowned International Fundraising Forum in The Netherlands in October 2025, and a passionate educator. Since 2017, she has served as a tutor and capacity-builder with the FIA, helping to educate and support over 100 emerging fundraisers and not-for-profit professionals across Australia. Her nomination in the Solidarity, Community & Volunteering category honours not only what she has achieved, but the spirit she brings: that we are stronger together, and collaboration across cultures, sectors, and lived experiences is the future.

Adeline Mansotte (NSW) is passionate about protecting the environment, reducing food waste and using education to drive lasting change. She believes knowledge is the key to open any door, empowering people to make better choices for themselves, their communities and the planet. As National Education Partnerships Manager at OzHarvest, Adeline helps grow the organisation’s education programs ( FEAST , NEST and NOURISH) by working with long-term partners who share the vision of nourishing people and protecting the planet. These programs transform the lives of young people, teaching practical cooking and nutrition skills, inspiring students to become “Food Waste Warriors,” and opening career pathways for those facing barriers to education, training and employment. Beyond OzHarvest, Adeline enjoys volunteering – from helping schools in Boston set up composting programs, to supporting Sydney’s French-speaking community through the North Shore association (FANS) and its French Market, where she introduced sustainability measures such as reusable cups and banned the sale of single-use water bottles. Adeline arrived in Australia 20 years ago, raised three little Fraussies, and love being part of the French-Australian community on Sydney’s North Shore. Whether at work or in her community, she is driven by a deep belief in education, sustainability and connection.

Born in Nîmes, France, and now proudly contributing to the cultural fabric of Southern Sydney, Anyes McLean has spent over a decade passionately promoting French language and culture through grassroots community initiatives, educational leadership, and tireless volunteering. In 2014, she was instrumental in introducing French language instruction at Taren Point Public School, laying the foundation for what would become a transformative and long-lasting program. With the support of her colleagues and the Francophone Association of Southern Sydney (FASS), she played a key role in establishing the French Immersion Program (now in its eighth year) and continues to oversee it in her role as French Coordinator and School Business Manager. Today, an impressive 40% of the school’s families have a Francophone background, a testament to the welcoming and dynamic environment she has helped create.

Anyes’s contribution extends well beyond the school gates. She founded a French Playgroup to immerse preschool children in the language from an early age, developed an HSC French support program for local high school students, and established a French community library that provides access to books, films, and educational resources for the wider community. One of her most successful community ventures is the annual La Belle Vie French Market, held at Taren Point Public School. Attracting over 5,000 visitors each year, the market has become a much-anticipated cultural highlight, featuring authentic French cuisine, artisan goods, live music, and family-friendly entertainment. It stands as a true celebration of French-Australian friendship and local solidarity.

 

As a long-standing and dedicated member of FASS, Anyes has served in key roles including Events Coordinator and currently Education Officer, where she continues to foster strong community engagement and cultural enrichment. She is immensely proud of her French heritage and deeply committed to sharing her love for the French language and culture with others. Her work is a powerful example of how volunteering and community spirit can unite people, inspire young minds, and build lasting cultural bridges. Being nominated for the French Australian Excellence Awards in the Solidarity, Community and Volunteering category is both a great honour and a reflection of the vibrant Francophone community she has helped nurture in Southern Sydney.

Eric Potier (NSW) has dedicated more than twenty years to ethical leadership in the pharmaceutical industry, working to deliver solutions to patients in both France and Australia. Today, he channels his energy into giving back, leading fundraising initiatives that bring together his professional expertise, personal values, and passion for tennis. He is the founder of Ace2Allergies, a unique association uniting six people with the mission to raise funds for major charities, support vulnerable members of the community, and promote awareness on health and resilience through tennis-led activities across Australia and beyond. Through this initiative, Eric has reshaped how communities engage with medical causes, combining sport, advocacy, and philanthropy. He continues to inspire by showing that success in business can translate into service, positioning himself not only as a pharmaceutical leader but also as a committed advocate for humanity.